


Let Brotherly Love Continue

by Carazard



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Abusive Parents, M/M, Sibling Incest, Stancest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-14 02:17:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4546383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carazard/pseuds/Carazard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rewrite of the scene where Stanley is kicked out of the house, in a universe where he doesn't have a car to escape in, and his father is a little... rougher with him. This forces Stanford to become an unwilling hero, and comes to Stanley's aid. Stancest ensures.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Brotherly Love Continue

No amount of television could distract Stanley Pines from the guilt burning in the pit of his stomach as he waited for his brother to get home. He gnawed at his lower lip anxiously, finding a little comfort in the unbroken rhythm of his paddleball. Though he knew this was only a temporary solution to escaping the consequences of his actions last night; no amount of distractions could change the fact that he had ruined his brother's future career.

The slamming of the door caught Lee off guard, and the rhythm of his paddleball slipped, breaking his streak. He knew he had a moment to compose himself before the inevitable confrontation. _Just play dumb, Lee, just play dumb._

Footsteps, and sure enough there was Ford, looking as bitter as Lee had feared.

"Hey what's the word, sixer?"

"Can you explain what _this_ was doing next to _my_ broken project!?"

Lee stared at the packet of toffee peanuts, cursing inwardly. There went his chance at playing dumb.

"Okay, I might have accidentally been --" began the chain of excuses, though Lee was barely listening to himself or Ford anymore; the scale of his fuckup was slowly beginning to dawn upon him. As his brother's shouts became louder, the flips of Lee's stomach became greater and the sheer guilt became utterly overpowering.

To Lee's dismay, the twin's parents had been disturbed by the commotion and soon came rushing in. There was no running away from the trouble he was in now. He knew he was guilty and he knew he should apologise, but even so excuse after bullshit excuse _still_ tumbled out of his mouth in response to Ford's, and now his father's, shouts as if it were second nature.

"Why would I want to do anything with the person who sabotaged my entire _future!?"_ Ford shouted, pulling Stanley out of his inner argumentations. Suddenly, Lee felt himself falling - he'd been shoved to the ground by his brother. It didn't _hurt_ as such, but Ford had _never_ tried to hurt Lee before - not seriously.

However he had no time to dwell on the meaning behind his brothers shove, as he was being pulled up by the scruff of the neck by his father, someone he had much more experience of physical combat with, it was almost sickeningly comforting.  Or it was until he started shouting. That was shit scary.

"You did what, you knucklehead?"

Then he was punched. It was predictable, but it still fucking hurt. Lee hissed in pain as he stumbled again, tears stinging at his eyes. This had happened all too many times before, but there was so much more to be scared of now. Lee looked helplessly between his father and his brother, unsure as to whom he feared more. Yes, his father in this state of anger certainly posed as a physical threat, but the emotional damage Ford had the potential to inflict was petrifying.

He was shaken violently. They wanted answers. "Wait - no - I can explain - it was a mistake!"

Another punch, this time to the gut, and Lee was coughing and spluttering, physically unable to explain himself any further. And then they had heard enough. He was roughly shoved through the hall and pushed out of the open door, with harsh criticisms and a chillingly cold glare from Ford as a send-off. The door shut.

Lee sat in the street aching, humiliated, though mainly just ashamed. He struggled to collect himself enough to stand up. He was wobbly from the shock and it hurt a little but he managed it, and looked around helplessly for a clue as to where he should go. All the doors and windows of the place he called home were tightly shut as usual; they offered no answer.

Though, wasn't this what he'd always strived for? Was he not free to go where he pleased, without the disapproval of his parents or brother? Surely this could be the start of something great, the moment when Stanley got the chance to break out from his brothers shadow and prove himself to be just a brilliant individual as his genius brother.

The optimism was short lived, not even Lee could convince himself any good was to come out of this situation. He couldn't even _drive_ away, his car had broken a few months back - because of yet more of his destructively careless behaviour - and they hadn't gotten round to getting it fixed yet. This wasn't freedom, this was just lonely.

-

Meanwhile, Ford paced about his room completely unsettled and emotionally disgruntled. Of course he was angry with Lee; what kind of insecure _bastard_ took things so far that they ruined months of work in a late night temper tantrum!?  But he couldn't ignore the twist of ugly guilt in his gut as he peeked through his curtains to see his brother, looking positively destroyed, make his way slowly, solemnly down the unkempt streets.

Finally he settled enough to sit on his bed, biting his thumb and toying with his options. He could just go to bed and find Lee tomorrow. But then, what if he _couldn't_ find Lee tomorrow?

Ford tried to brush it off, tell himself that he was being ridiculous and was worrying too much like usual. But the hideous feeling in his gut wasn't leaving, and Ford knew it wouldn't until he saw his brother. There, that was a justified reason to chase after Lee! He was just doing it to set his _own_ mind at ease, not because he was worried about that brute.

Though the icepack and plasters Ford grabbed swiftly on his way out said it all, really.

Luckily, finding Lee wasn't the most difficult task Ford had faced recently (no, that project had been thoroughly destroyed by his brother). Sure enough, Lee was sat on the rickety swings at Glass Shard Beach; where he always was. No, where _they_ always were.  Ford sighed, pity was the last thing he wanted to feel for his brother in this moment, but Lee was always so _good_ at provoking it.

Quietly, Ford walked up to the other swing, his swing, and took a seat. Lee didn't look up. It'd been quite obvious he'd been crying, and though Ford disliked seeing his brother in pain, he was comforted by the fact that no matter how hard Lee tried to play it off like this incident was nothing, this really did mean something to him. Lee felt bad - and so he should - but it was nice to know he actually cared.

Upon noticing the physical pain Lee must be experiencing, Ford winced a little; there were marks and cuts all up his bare arms, a few bleeding, and he looked a little bruised in places. Even his jeans had ripped, revealing bloodied knees. Ford's anger was softened a little enough to realise that Lee really _did_ need these cuts tended to. Good job he came prepared.

Wordlessly, Ford slipped off the swing and knelt before his brother, bringing out his medical supplies and began to tend to the cuts on one of Lee's knees. Neither brother said anything, nor made eye contact; Lee didn't even _move_ , but Ford could tell he was much, much tenser than before, and could feel his brothers eyes flicking down to watch him and then away quickly, like a nervous teenager stealing glances of their most recent crush. Ford was much too awkward to ditch his pride and be first to say anything, so the two sat in silence.

Luckily, Lee had already lost the little pride he had, so with a quiet grumble he broke the silence. "You're so lucky. You're so _brilliant_ and _clever_ and your mom and dad's pride and joy - I'd be enough of a disappointment to them on my own but with you there it just makes me look even _worse_."

Ford stared at Lee with building rage and bemusement. "You -- you honestly have the _audacity_ to start complaining to _me_ after what you did to my future!? Even now you make this about yourself!?"

Lee flinched backwards, clearly not expecting such a quick change from Ford's quiet kindness to seething anger. His voice wobbled as he answered. "I-It's not like I _meant_ to do it! Come on Ford we've been through this!"

"And you have yet to get it through your _thick skull-"_ Ford got to his feet, dragging Lee up by his collar, shaking him slightly, "-that you really _fucked_ things up this time you cretin!"

"Ford- shit - Ford wait just listen to me!" Lee pleaded, though Ford's surge of emotion had already begun to flow and there was no stopping it now - he was good at ranting.

"You think just because we had some plan when we were stupid kids that I would give up working with internationally leading Physicists and Mathematicians? For a _boat trip_ 'around the world'!? No one ever actually does all the things they say they'll do as children! People _grow up_ , Stanley, something that you better start fucking doing unless you want to disappoint mom and dad even more.  You were enough of a burden on the family when you showed no signs of being useful in the future - but no, wrecking your own future wasn't fucking enough, was it? You had to go and betray _me_ and turn my future into a train wreck too!"

Ford was shaking with rage and breathing violently at this point, shit there was a lot of pent up emotion in that rant. Stanley didn't respond, and just stood there staring at Ford, completely overloaded with emotions. Ford gritted his teeth, grinding them and tried to hold himself back - that pathetic face only made him angrier - why wasn't Lee fighting _back_!? He found himself overcome with a strange desire to punch his brother suddenly, but he did his best to quell it; if he punched Lee now that would make him no better than their father.

That didn't stop Lee hitting Ford, though. Finally the dismayed brother broke out of his trance of upset and hurt and resorted to escaping through the only way he knew, hitting the thing that made him sad very, very hard. Needless to say, it was Ford's face that received the near-hysterical blow, and his glasses clattered to the floor, his lip burst, bloodying his mouth and chin, and he stumbled to the ground. Lee followed not long after, his wobbly legs no longer able to hold him up.

The two lay there in silence, both breathing heavily as they recovered from their hysterical fits. Once Ford had calmed down, he tasted the blood on his lips, and then realised how far he'd pushed Stanley - he thought back to some of the things he'd shouted, and covered his mouth in weak shock. It was Ford's turn to be ashamed, and now he was almost _thankful_ for the punch, at least it had let Lee get a little revenge for some of the terrible things Ford had allowed himself to say in his semi-conscious rant.

 "Look, Stanley I-"

But Lee had beaten him to it, he'd sat up and began talking. "Last night I was hanging around school - I had to have a bit of time to myself, thinking over what I heard the principle saying to you and mom and dad that day. Then, I saw the machine, and - I - it felt like _that_ was what was dragging you away from me, you know!? So - I - well, I hit the table. Pretty hard. But I didn't hit the _machine_ \- but it, it broke, it started smoking and the grid fell off and stuff - the turn-y things were still going, but it didn't look _healthy_ , so I did what I could and screwed the plate back on. It all... kind of looked okay when I put the sheet back on it - but Stanford I _didn't_ break that machine on purpose that's the last thing I wanted - oh god Ford I'm so fucking sorry, you're right, I'm a fucking disgrace, I've just pulled you down all of your life - shit - shit I'm sorry." Lee sounded utterly hopeless; this was _heartbreaking_.

Ford listened patiently, saddened at the memory of all of his wasted work, until he caught on to something his brother had said. "It was still moving when you left it? What did it look like Stanley!?" He'd sat up properly and was shuffling awkwardly over to his brother, anxious.

"Wha- well it was just - the same? I think? I don't know Ford I was panicking! But it was definitely still moving!"

A small smile found its way onto Ford's face, becoming an uncontrollable grin as he began to speak, "Stanley don't you see what this means? If, what you say is true, and if my assumptions about what happened aren't wrong - you might not have broken my machine!"

"What?! Ford slow down not everyone's as fucking clever as you!"

"Sorry, sorry - no - listen - the whole _point_ of a perpetual motion machine is it doesn't stop moving - and anyhow, my machine would never be broken by you simply _hitting the table_ , like, I know you're strong but my machines are made of metal - and - and, you said you screwed the grid on yes!? When I looked at it in the morning, the grid was hanging open! Stanley - it - it wasn't you!"

"But - wh-" Lee stared at Ford, confused and unsure how to react, "but how did it break!?"

Ford thought for a moment. "Well, the most parsimonious explanation is someone _else_ tampered with it. And it wasn't an accident on their part, by the sound of things."

"I didn't wreck your future?" The truth seemed to be just dawning on a somewhat dazed Lee before he looked up, matching his brother's erratic grin and their gazes met. Before either knew it they'd thrown themselves at each other in an uncomfortably tight hug.

"I'm just so glad it wasn't you." Ford said, breathless.

"Hah, _you're_ glad, huh? Dad kicked me out." Lee laughed, but then his voice turned softer."It wasn't me. Shit I -" Lee bit his own lip, overcome with sudden emotion as he buried his face into his brother's shoulder.

Neither moved for a good while, Lee let himself shed a few shameless tears into his brother's comforting, familiar, _safe_ shoulder,  and Ford showed no protest. Slowly and gently he let his own head lean against Lee's, and began to stroke his hair softly.

"I'm so sorry for everything I said, Lee - I really didn't mean any of it - I just - it just all came out after being pent up for so long - I honestly don't think you're a burden or anything I said to you. Even if you had been the one that broke it, I still wouldn't think of you as a burden. I just hope you can find it in you to forgive me."

"What're you talking about, I got you back didn't I?" Lee pulled away to look at Ford, grinning, though still a little tearful, as he brushed his thumb over the blood on Ford's lips.

Ford couldn't help but chuckle, mainly relived that it was all okay again. "Looks like you're not the only one in need of patching up now. Good job I brought ice. I hope it hasn't melted too much." Though neither made any move to reach for the forgotten icepack. Neither _moved_ , Lee's thumb still resting on Ford's bloodied lips, almost intrusively.

Suddenly, both were very aware of the ever-heavier atmosphere, and of every single move the other made. Cautiously, as if trying not to startle an animal, both brothers moved carefully forward, Lee pulling his thumb down, dragging off some of the blood, as they inched ever closer.

Then, in a sudden rush of motion their lips had met in a frenzy of guilt and ardour. The fact the two were still kneeling on the ground made for a clumsy outcome as they awkwardly twisted themselves in attempt to get closer. Neither wanted to stop and think about what was actually happening as long as the other didn't. Thing about twins was they were always so synchronised _._

After a fair number of nose-bumps and teeth-clashes, the two stopped, hesitantly pulling away. For a few seconds, neither knew what to do, how the other felt, eye contact was caught and then broken immediately, and pulses were racing.

"I... got the blood off," Lee offered as an icebreaker.

Ford cracked, secretly relived behind his smiles and laughter. He got to his feet, still chuckling, and helped Lee up. "Let's tell dad you're innocent. And I still need to disinfect the rest of your cuts."

Lee grumbled in weak protest, but didn't complain. The two made their way back to the house slowly, shoulders bumping only half-accidentally. The two were comfortable, and that was it. Everything was fine, and Lee could hardly believe how well it'd turned out.

"So, you up for a little adventure? A quest to find out who sabotaged your project?" Lee nudged Ford in the side.

Ford smiled, a little sadly now. "Well, I don't really have any _plans_ now I've been rejected by the university. I suppose we'll be needing to put the finishing touches to the Stan-o-war?"

With a triumphant whoop of joy, Lee grinned, swinging an arm around his brother. "Don't worry sixer, we _will_ find the bastard that ruined your career, and I'll even let you swing the first punch. We start work tomorrow! Hey, you can use those notebooks you got for your birthday to document our journey, y'know, cause you like writing and stuff!"

Ford chuckled, still a little disappointed at the loss of all his hard work, though, as he looked at his brother, he forgot the upset, allowing himself to take a leaf out of Stanley's book for once, and tried to only look forward, to tomorrow, and to the completion of the Stan-o-war.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The title for this comes from The Bible, Hebrews 13:1, and I'm probably going to hell for quoting it in such a context. Eh.  
> I did want to include more biblical imagery in this, like drawing parallels between Cain and Abel and stuff but I just couldn't manage it, I suppose that's an aim for future fics.  
> I haven't written in AGES and I'm glad this is my first fic in a while. I'm fond of it. Sorry if it wasn't quite dramatic enough, I'll work on it for future fics c;  
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
